By Zephyria 
His voice held a note of anguish. Haon felt a chill run down his throat.
“We haven’t had a proper conversation since that day. You suddenly quit and then wouldn’t even answer my calls… But then I heard you re-enrolled, so I came.”
“That’s a long story, So-yul.”
In contrast to Lee So-yul’s, Cha Jeong-won’s voice was cold.
Haon felt relieved by that coldness. And the moment he realized that, his feelings became complicated.
Cha Jeong-won was pushing Lee So-yul away, but even that seemed to be filled with clues that they knew each other well.
“I’m sorry, Jeong-won. That’s what I came to say.”
“I’ve already forgotten about it. So there’s nothing more to say.”
“No, even if you have, I haven’t. I still…”
Haon thought he shouldn’t listen any further.
As he was about to move his feet, he inadvertently looked up at the top of Cha Jeong-won’s head.
He saw someone’s hand sticking out from a second-floor window. A cigarette butt was precariously dangling between their fingers. A small red dot flickered as if the ember was still alive.
‘What is that.’
Haon alternated his gaze between the hand reaching out from the second floor and Cha Jeong-won’s head, then hurriedly took a step. At that moment, he didn’t even hear Lee So-yul’s words.
Cha Jeong-won was in danger.
“That action I took towards you back then, it was purely my feelings…”
“Excuse me.”
At the voice that cut in, Lee So-yul turned around.
Without meeting Lee So-yul’s eyes, Haon grabbed Cha Jeong-won’s wrist and pulled him.
The large man, upon seeing Haon, immediately relaxed his strength and was pulled along defenselessly by his touch.
The body heat transmitted through the wrist was unmistakable. Along with it, Haon looked up.
The fingers sticking out from the second-floor window were now gone. Instead, a still-lit cigarette butt had fallen on the spot where Cha Jeong-won had just been standing.
The nearly burnt-out cigarette butt, perhaps because it was light, made no loud sound even when it hit the ground.
Seeing that the ember was still alive, who knows what would have happened if it had touched Cha Jeong-won’s head or shoulder.
It could have bounced off lightly, or it could have caught fire.
“Yoon Haon. Didn’t you see we were having a conversation?”
Lee So-yul calmly scolded Haon for his intrusion. His calmness made it even sharper. Haon quickly bowed his head.
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”
Haon bowed his head to Lee So-yul several times.
Then he let go of Cha Jeong-won’s hand and met his eyes.
“Please finish your conversation.”
Just as Haon was about to step back, this time it was Cha Jeong-won who grabbed Haon.
He lightly grabbed his arm, not his wrist. Even though the grip wasn’t strong, Haon couldn’t move.
It strangely felt like he could sense pheromones. Haon’s nape grew hot again.
“He didn’t come to talk to me. He said he came to make a phone call.”
Cha Jeong-won said he hadn’t come out to talk to Lee So-yul in the first place.
There was no time to notice Lee So-yul’s expression darkening at his rejection.
‘It sounds like he’s telling me not to misunderstand.’
As Haon was shaking his other hand slightly, Cha Jeong-won looked displeased.
“You look like you don’t believe me.”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Jeong-won, I’ll call you.”
It was Lee So-yul who left the spot first.
As he passed by, he left behind a floral-scented pheromone. It was a scent laden with emotion.
Haon stood there for a moment until that scent disappeared.
He felt bad, as if he had driven Lee So-yul away. At the same time, he also felt relief.
That made it even more uncomfortable.
Feeling pathetic, Haon tightly pressed his lips together. Then, taking advantage of having grabbed Cha Jeong-won’s wrist, he didn’t let go and instead pulled out an ointment from his pocket.
“Let me see the back of your hand.”
With a reluctant expression, Cha Jeong-won offered his hand.
On the back of his hand were marks from oil splattering while grilling meat earlier.
Haon felt a pang in his heart.
This person kept acting like this, behaving as if getting hurt was nothing and brushing it off casually.
“You said you were going to the bathroom.”
“I didn’t say I was going to the bathroom. I said I had some business up ahead and went out.”
Haon squeezed some ointment onto his fingertip and carefully applied it. A faint warmth remained on the skin. Each time Haon’s hand touched, the muscles in Cha Jeong-won’s arm tensed ever so slightly.
That reaction made Haon even more careful.
“You have to take care of your own body. That’s how misfortune retreats and things work out.”
Only after applying the ointment and even putting on a bandage could Haon lift his head towards Cha Jeong-won.
Cha Jeong-won was looking at Haon. He said nothing, but his indifferent face looked a little different today.
In the alley’s air, the Alpha’s pheromones tickled Haon’s breath.
Haon pressed the edge of the bandage once more to stick it down, trying not to be swept away by those pheromones.
As Cha Jeong-won made a faint grimace, Haon clicked his tongue as if he’d expected it.
“See, why don’t you show when you’re in pain?”
“If you press like that, it’ll hurt even without pressing.”
“Really?”
Haon blew on the back of his hand, hoo hoo, but didn’t let go.
Then, suddenly feeling embarrassed by the slick sensation of the remaining ointment on his own fingertips, Haon avoided Cha Jeong-won’s gaze for a moment.
Until just a moment ago, he was only conscious of the hot grill and the cold alley air, but now something else loomed larger.
Haon cautiously asked.
“Really… I didn’t interrupt, did I?”
Instead of answering, Cha Jeong-won grabbed Haon’s wrist.
Not grabbing his arm like before, but turning Haon’s hand over as if flipping a palm and pulling it towards himself. The moment their fingers intertwined, Haon reflexively swallowed his breath.
The moment the Alpha’s body temperature traveled up his own skin, the chill of the alley paled in comparison. His pheromones seemed to dig all the way to his heart, silently gripping it.
“Do you think it was an interruption?”
The way Cha Jeong-won asked was so indifferent that Haon was even more at a loss for words. It felt like a question where he had to choose his answer.
Haon fiddled with his nape once and spoke honestly.
“Well, it’s because the two of you looked really close.”
After saying it, he felt even more embarrassed. Cha Jeong-won looked down at Haon with an ambiguous expression, neither smiling nor not.
“Like you and Hyun-gyu?”
Instantly, Haon’s eyes widened.
“That’s different from us!”
Compare with someone comparable!
His voice, which had flared up, seemed to hit the alley wall once and bounce back.
“We’re just friends. He and I are like family.”
Haon himself realized he had reacted too vehemently and felt awkward. At the same time, he felt wronged.
Why do I have to explain this? Why do I seem jealous?
Haon tried to pull his hand away, but Cha Jeong-won’s fingers wrapped around his hand even more naturally.
“Is that so?”
After asking back briefly, Cha Jeong-won added this time in a teasing tone.
“Then should I say like you and Seo-jun? Or maybe…”
The rest of his words were oddly quiet. It was audible, but the words weren’t clear.
Cafe, he seemed to say something like.
Haon strained his ears, but Cha Jeong-won slightly turned his head and spoke as if covering his mouth, so he ultimately couldn’t hear. Haon frowned.
“What? Finish saying it.”
“If you didn’t hear it, then it’s fine.”
Cha Jeong-won said curtly, then holding Haon’s hand, led him out of the alley.
His walking pace wasn’t fast, but there was no chance to stop.
Haon reflexively followed Cha Jeong-won but glanced back once.
He could see the lighted sign of the meat restaurant, and laughter intermittently leaked from inside.
“But our bags are still there.”
At those words, Cha Jeong-won let out a short sigh and then released Haon’s hand.
“Stay right here.”
After giving Haon the order, he went into the restaurant. And then, in what seemed like an instant, he came out again. In one hand, he was carrying both Haon’s and Jeong-won’s belongings.
It was a time short enough for Haon to blink once.
Cha Jeong-won, who had already come right up to him, looked at Haon.
“Now it’s fine, right?”
“It doesn’t seem fine.”
“It’s all done.”
If he says so, then it must be so.
And so, Cha Jeong-won headed towards the main road. Haon hurriedly asked.
“But where are we going?”
Without stopping his steps, Cha Jeong-won answered.
“Home.”
Haon’s feet momentarily froze.
Cha Jeong-won never looked back once. He just walked as if it were natural.
‘Home…’
That single word turned Haon’s mind into more of a mess than necessary.
What does he plan to do if we go home? No, what does he plan to show me?
What on earth… What is he trying to show me?!
Could it be Cha Jeong-won’s…
“Are you crazy?”
Haon shot back in a lowered voice. People were passing by around them.
For some reason, he felt as if his whole body was on fire, becoming sensitive. Haon was afraid others might find out.
“We broke up.”
Cha Jeong-won stopped walking and looked back at Haon once. His gaze was so composed that it made Haon’s heart waver even more.
“So?”
Cha Jeong-won turned his head back and resumed walking.
Not wanting to look like he was being dragged along, Haon matched his steps with Cha Jeong-won’s. The body heat connecting through their fingers made it feel not just like holding hands, but as if his heart was also held captive by him.
Haon tried hard to prevent his own pheromones from leaking out. But perhaps because of the warmth felt from Cha Jeong-won’s hand, he couldn’t control it.
“No, sunbae. We can’t do this.”
Haon said it once more, but his voice lacked strength.
His mind was screaming that it was wrong, but inside, he was already thinking something else.
If I enter his house, first I’ll step into the entrance and take off my shoes. Without even a chance to let go of his hand, we’ll get close again.
Who knows where the hand with the bandage from today might touch.
Maybe that hand will brush against my nape, our breaths will mingle.
Even if just for a very brief moment…
The moment Haon imagined that, he bit his lip hard without even realizing it, feeling angry.
Perhaps noticing that, Cha Jeong-won spoke in a low voice.
“You’ll hurt your lip.”
Haon finally asked, as if surrendering.
“What on earth are you trying to show me by doing this?”
At that question, the corner of Cha Jeong-won’s mouth lifted ever so slightly. At that sight, Haon’s heart stirred.
“You’ve been curious since earlier.”
“Well, I was curious.”
“Then we should check.”
Haon opened his mouth and then closed it.
Haon glanced down at the hand held by Cha Jeong-won. As if the reason for this whole day was attached to the back of that hand.
Check… check… Yes, check.
The moment he stepped into Cha Jeong-won’s house, Haon unconsciously closed his eyes. Cha Jeong-won continued to lead him somewhere.
“Open your eyes now, Yoon Haon.”
Right in front of him, Cha Jeong-won’s breath tickled his lips.
75 – NOT 75